PHP - [quick] Javascript In Php If/else

Hi
I have a quick question. I want my javascript to be able to access my php page because my php page has the coding to access the database and then it has to give me a list of the stuff in the database the alert box.
This is the code that I have. I know that I can use it but I'm not sure how to go about it.

getPHPResponse=function(){
   
   
   var url="/countries/ajax_return_response";


       $.post(url, {'format': 'JSON', 'countries': '$countries'}, function(data){
      //this is where jsvascript must do something

              alert(data);
   });
}

In one of my pages I have a section which contains a hidden line of text. When the user clicks a button the box containing the text will expand showing the line more clearly. I want this to happen live i.e. no page refresh/reload.

I've seen such things done on other sites but my question is, is this done using a php function or is JavaScript required to achieve this?

I assume that in order for any php functions to take place there must be a page refresh to reload the data/parameters/variables that are required?

The site I'm referring to is this one:-

http://www.vouchercodes.co.uk/featured-voucher-codes.html

If you click on the "Get code and open site" buttons there for any of the vouchers the area expands live and the voucher is revealed however as I say there is no page refresh and it is done live.

Is this effect done in JavaScript and not php or is there some way of using php alone to do something similar?

Obviously including JScript in a site is more risky as if a user does not have it installed/activated then they may not be able to use such elements hence the reason I want to know how it is done. 

i need some quick help, this project has been way over due and ive wasted huge amounts of time researching on my own and bothering others trying to figure this out and i just cant leave it be its like a damn drug. im desperate folks!


my 2 tables,

movies:    id - title - category - url

categories: id - category (FK)

what im trying to do is have every category list as a table and then list the movies owned by that category in them, example:

Category 1
---------------
title
title

Category 2
--------------
title
title

Category 3
--------------
title
title


the code im using is

Code: [Select]
<?php
$con = mysql_connect("localhost","root","");
if (!$con)
{
die('Could not connect: ' . mysql_error());
}

mysql_select_db("mydb", $con);
$result = mysql_query("SELECT a.ID, 
       a.Title,
       b.Category,
       a.URL
  FROM Movies AS a 
     JOIN Categories b ON a.Category = b.ID
  ORDER BY b.Category");
echo "<table border='1'>
<tr>
<th>Title</th>
<th>Category</th>
</tr>";

while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))
{
echo "<tr>";
echo "<td width='100'><a href='".$row['URL']."'>" . $row['Title'] . "</a></td>";
echo "<td width='150'>" . $row['Category'] . "</td>";
}
echo "</table>";

$result2 = mysql_query("SELECT ID,Category FROM Categories");

while($row2 = mysql_fetch_array($result2))
{
echo "<tr>";
echo "<td>" . $row2['Title'] . "</td>";
echo "</tr>";
}
echo "</table>";

mysql_close($con);
?>
but obviously this code gives me a single table that lists all the titles with category next to them and then under the table it lists my categorys from left to right and its looks like

Title     Category
---------------------
title1     Drama
title2     Comedy
title3     Horror
title4     Thriller
--------------------
DramaComedyHorrorThriller



what exactly do i need to change to display the results i want ?  btw dont hammer me on using 2 while loops, some tell me i need 2 and others say 2 is pointless. i myself have no clue!

what does

Code: [Select]
WHERE p.pid IN(0,4561,0)
mean? I know it's lokoing for DATA FROM p.pid = 4561, but WHAT THE HELL DOES THE 0,   ,0 mean?

Thanks

Hi!

I want to be able to create a dynamic tournament bracket but not sure where to get started,
right now all the template brackets have been hardcoded, i.e. http://teamx1.com/templates/64.html

Can you someone put me in the right direction by using PHP to create and write this file?
I want to be able to create 64 + brackets but hardcoding is a huge headache and mistakes easily done.

Thanks all.